NEW DELHI: Swashbuckling Rishabh Pant threatened to take the game away from New Zealand on the third day of the Mumbai Test, but his unfortunate dismissal in the second session resulted in India’s defeat and the Kiwis sweeping series 3-0.
Chasing a tricky 147 on a deteriorating Wankhede track, Pant looked at his fluent best during his 64-run knock but it came to a controversial end after a contentious decision by the third umpire ruled him out caught behind.
India skipper Rohit Sharma after the match pointed out that he was not sure how the on-field decision of not out was changed without any conclusive evidence saying that the umpires must play by same rules for every team.
“About that dismissal, I honestly, I don’t know. If we say something, it is not accepted well,” Rohit said in the post-match press conference.
“But if there is no conclusive evidence, it has to go, it has to stand with the umpire’s on-field decision. That is what I have been told. So, I don’t know how that decision was overturned since the umpire didn’t give him out.
“You know, the bat was clearly close to the pad. So, again, I don’t know if it is the right thing for me to talk about. It is something for the umpires to think about. Have the same rules for every team, not keep changing their mind. But again, that dismissal actually was very, very crucial from our point of view. Rishabh was really looking good at that point and it felt like he will take us through. But it was an unfortunate dismissal, got out and then we were bowled out right after that.”
The Pant disputed call came in the 22nd over of the chase when he came down the track to defend an Ajaz Patel ball.
As the ball turned in, it hit Pant’s pad and popped up off before going into the keeper’s gloves. However with Pant’s bat close to the pad, it was not clear whether bat was involved or not.
The on-field umpire Richard Illingworth had ruled it not out but the third umpire, after taking his time changed the on-field call, stunning the Indian dressing room and the fans.
As a dejected Pant walked back, the Kiwis then quickly wrapped up the game, winning it by 25 runs.